Leaving Treadmarkz Across the Universe

Treadmarkz

As promised (see the posting previous to this one), I have been monitoring the situation regarding the garbage bag in the entry way, and this morning, a mere 36 hours after putting forth my demand, I have been appeased! The garbage – along with my note – has been removed without incident.

The only thing that bothers me is I have no way of knowing whether the garbage was removed by the offender or someone else who was emotionally stricken by my hand-written plea for communal cooperation toward cleanliness. Either way, it worked. (shrug)

Now I can move on with my life.

by Treadmarkz

As I left my apartment building a few days ago I noticed that in the entry way, on the floor, sat a garbage bag full of pizza boxes, microwave dinner containers, and various other fast food paraphernalia. A couple of days later it was still there, unmoved. We have a dumpster right outside our building. It’s about 50 feet from the building, but it’s there. And the weather has not turned frigid yet.

The bag is STILL there, only now there is a note attached to it which reads:

This could go out to the dumpster any time. It’s not that far and you might want to take it before winter comes when you will be much less inclined to do so. There are people in this building who are in wheelchairs who take their garbage out. I’ve seen them do it! Can’t you?

Now, I know that anyone who is lazy enough to leave a bag of garbage sitting in the entryway of a public building is not likely to be the type to respond to a plea such as this. I don’t mind being used as an example, but I hardly think I am saving the damn planet by taking my garbage out.

But I also know that overall, it is this very type of image, the poor, wretched “wheelchair-bound” man carrying his garbage out, in the snow even, which does inspire people to be thankful for what they have, or some such nonsense, and for God’s sake, take out their garbage and be happy they’ve got two legs on which to do so. I’ll keep monitoring the situation, and I’ll let you all know how it turns out.

PS: You’ve figured out by now that I wrote that note, right?

Sorry, I just can’t stand public displays of laziness.

by Treadmarkz

I went the other day to pick out my new wheelchair, and to fill out the paperwork for the wheelchair dealer to send in to the State of Minnesota so I could get my request approved by Medical Assistance, and two things stuck out, for me.

First thing: I had to get a prescription for my wheelchair. Why? I am clearly disabled and in need of an alternative method of locomotion. My legs won’t cut it. Why do I need proof that I need a chair? Are there people who are abusing wheelchairs? Are people overdosing on wheelchairs? Is there some illegal underground trafficking of wheelchairs that I don’t know about? Well, okay, with this one, if more people lose their social security, and MA and all that, this may happen. But as far as I know, this has not become an issue.

And secondly, when I was filling out the paperwork, I was asked my Social Security # and my MA card’s number, of course, and my address and phone number so they could contact me, of course. But then, out of the blue, Question #5 read, verbatim: “What is your role in society?” I thought “What the bloody hell?” I didn’t know where to start. But I knew what they were getting at. Again they don’t want to be giving away wheelchairs to just any bum off the street! You never know what the hell they’ll do with ‘em! So I told them about my job where I am in a hectic office environment where I put on a lot of miles, not to mention the fact that I have a life and occasionally I, imagine this, go places!

But I didn’t need that. It’s National Disabled Employment Awareness Month for cryin’ out loud, and they want to know why I need a functional wheelchair? They don’t ask walkies that question when they buy a pair of shoes, do they? Nope. Just us.

by Treadmarkz

The Chicago Cubs collected the most wins in the National League this year and yet they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that made the playoffs because they won their division, but had the least wins of all NL playoff teams. Why? I’ll tell you why. The Curse of Fred Merkle. Look it up.

Because of this curse, the Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. Yes that is 100 years this year. Being the 100th anniversary of the Cubs’ last championship, everyone in the baseball universe thought it quite fitting that they were having their best year in…ever, almost. It was almost a cosmic inevitability that the Cubs would finally shrug of the Curse of Merkle.

100 years.

Almost 100 wins.

It had to be.

And yet it isn’t.

Why? Because the Cubs are cursed.

Couldn’t the Cubs claim this curse as a permanent disability? If they did, think of the benefits they could receive. They could get the National League to pay for all of their expenses, so that they could save up their money for payroll and put together the most unstoppable force that ever took the field. They could get a first round bye in the playoffs. And all seven games of the NLCS and World Series at Wrigley Field so they would not have to travel!

Oh but then if they won the World Series, they would no longer be able to claim permanent disability. So never mind.

by Treadmarkz

Some time this week I am going shopping for a new chair. I got my prescription from my doctor. The chair I am in is definitely not fit to last another winter. I used and abused it this summer. I think all of that running around, along with the pressure of my job, have given me high blood pressure. Not really high, but higher than normal. I found that out when I had my appointments. Weird. I just wanted to get a prescription for a new chair and I found that out.

By the way, the doctor barely looked at me and started writing out the prescription for the chair, so I don’t know why I had to spend the time.